1) Aim of current research

The analysis and comparison of national research programmes across Europe that are gathering information on school leavers paths after compulsory education.
Reference: methodological differences and similarities financial and institutional details utilization of the surveys in different areas

Who knows what school leavers and graduates are doing? An international comparative approach on data utilisation
Research in progress
2) Research design and methodology
I. II. III. cross sectional account based on documentary data, all EU countries case study approach based on expert interviews, 3 countries analysis of selected school leavers survey data

3) School leavers survey in the Netherlands

ROA and VSNU school leavers and graduate surveys Comprehensive system in place for more than two decades Schools/universities can ask to include all their students for a contribution Labour market forecast and reports for the ministry on the whole system Issues arising: Individualised system for institutions? The data whos? Flexibility? More cost-effective methods?

4) Mixed system for England

HESA Destinations of Leavers from HE and 'longitudinal for UK 6 months after leaving - labour market position? 80% is the goal for every institute Colleges: without information? Collecting destinations information - where do they go after leaving? Longitudinal Study of Young People in England AND Youth Cohort Study For ministerial account and research purposes No information on labour market outcomes, nor on transition

5) Statistical data collection in Finland

Combining data registers and administrative data (Possible due personal ID numbers) Data on employment/ unemployment/ student status about everyone BUT no information on employment type Research done by the users: Aarresaari Started by the guidance network at university level Got national; Polytechnics are involved as well Information on 5 years after leaving through a survey

6) Questions to be addressed
What is the role of the data from the different stakeholders' perspectives? What information is collected? What is the focus? What are the main topics in the research? How reliable is the data at the different levels? What percentage of the leaver's population is reached? Who receives the information and in what form? Who owns the data? What happens to the collected data?

Rita Hordsy Doctoral Researcher, 2nd yr University of Birmingham Contact: rxh051@bham.ac.uk Website: http://bit.ly/o0u4CM